Clinical Outcomes of Critically Ill Covid-19 Patients Admitted to Critical Care Unit at Kenyatta National Hospital

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2. It was first identified in humans on 19th December, 2019, in Wuhan city in China and declared a global health concern on 30th January, 2020. Broad objective: To establish the clinical outcomes of critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to critical care unit at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) from 1st April 2020 to 30th April 2021. Methodology: Design and study population- Descriptive, retrospective cohort study of critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to CCU at KNH from 1st April 2020 to 30th April 2021. Data collection- Medical records of COVID 19 patients admitted to the CCU were reviewed. Ethics- Approval granted by the Ethics Review Committee of University of Nairobi and Kenyatta National Hospital. Results: Sixty-five patients who were admitted to the IDU CCU with COVID -19 during the study period of April 2020 to April 2021were evaluated. Males were 55.4%. The mean age of the patients was 38.14 years. Eighty percent of the patients had one or more comorbid conditions. The most common comorbidity was diabetes mellitus (29.2%), then hypertension (24.6%). The median length of stay in the CCU was 5 days. The mortality rate was 24.6%. Patients who developed complications were 32.3%. The most common complication was acute kidney injury (18.5%), followed by liver injury (13.8%). Out of the 16 patients who died 62.5% had one or more complications related to COVID 19. Conclusion: Mortality rate was 24.6%, less than previous findings. Mortality rate was high among those who developed complications. Most of the patients (80%) had comorbidities. Recommendations: AKI is the most common complication among critically ill COVID-19 patients that people should be on the lookout for in CCU.